Phantom Detective (2016 Film)
Phantom Detective (Korean: 탐정 홍길동: 사라진 마을; RR: Tamjung Honggildong: Sarajin Maeul) is a 2016 South Korean action-noir film directed and written by Jo Sung-Hee. The film features Lee Je-Hoon in the lead role of Hong Gil-Dong, a private investigator known for his ability to track down targets with extreme efficiency.
Plot
Hong Gil-Dong operates an unconventional detective agency alongside President Hwang, portrayed by Go Ara. The agency functions to eliminate individuals deemed evil, following the final wishes of President Hwang's late father. While Hong is capable of locating almost anyone within an hour, he remains haunted by his inability to find Kim Byeong-Duk (Park Geun-Hyung), the man responsible for the murder of his mother when Hong was eight years old.
When Hong finally tracks Kim to a remote location, he discovers that his target has been kidnapped, leaving behind two granddaughters, Dong-Yi (Roh Jeong-Eui) and Mal-Soon (Kim Ha-Na). Driven by his long-standing desire for vengeance, Hong takes the children with him to locate their grandfather, eventually finding himself in conflict with the powerful and clandestine organization known as Gwangeunhwe.
Production
The film was directed by Jo Sung-Hee, who also penned the screenplay. Production began on December 2, 2014, and concluded on April 16, 2015. The project marked the first acting role for lead actor Lee Je-Hoon following his completion of mandatory military service in South Korea on July 24, 2014. During its development, the film was known by the working title Myungtamjung Honggildong (Detective Hong Gil-Dong). The character of Hong Gil-Dong is inspired by the legendary figure from the classic Korean novel Tale of Hong Gil-Dong.
Cast
- Lee Je-Hoon as Hong Gil-Dong
- Kim Sung-Kyun as Kang Sung-Il
- Go Ara as President Hwang
- Roh Jeong-Eui as Dong-Yi
- Kim Ha-Na as Mal-Soon
- Park Geun-Hyung as Kim Byeong-Duk
- Jung Sung-Hwa as Innkeeper
- Hwang Bo-Ra as Used book store woman