The Age of Shadows (2016 Film)
The Age of Shadows (Korean: 밀정; RR: Miljung) is a 2016 South Korean period spy thriller directed by Kim Jee-woon. Set in the 1920s during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the film explores the complex dynamics between the Japanese police and the Korean independence movement.
Plot
The narrative follows Lee Jung-chool (Song Kang-ho), a former member of the Korean independence movement who now serves as a police officer for the Japanese colonial government. He is tasked with infiltrating and dismantling the Righteous Brotherhood, an independence organization. Lee approaches Kim Woo-jin (Gong Yoo), an art dealer and regional leader of the resistance, under the guise of interest in Korean antiquities. As both men navigate a web of espionage and shifting loyalties, they become increasingly aware of each other's true intentions. When the resistance discovers moles within their ranks, the conflict shifts to Shanghai, where the group attempts to procure explosives for an operation against the Japanese administration in Korea.
Production
The film marks the fourth collaboration between actor Song Kang-ho and director Kim Jee-woon, following their previous work on The Quiet Family, The Foul King, and The Good, the Bad, the Weird. Principal photography commenced on October 22, 2015, and concluded on March 31, 2016.
Cast
- Song Kang-ho as Lee Jung-chool
- Gong Yoo as Kim Woo-jin
- Han Ji-min as Yun Gye-soon
- Um Tae-goo as Hashimoto
- Shingo Tsurumi as Higashi
- Lee Byung-hun as Jung Chae-san
- Shin Sung-rok as Jo Hwe-ryung
- Heo Sung-tae as Ha Il-soo
