The Spies (2012 Film)
The Spies (Korean: 간첩; RR: Ganchub) is a 2012 South Korean action-comedy film directed by Woo Min-ho. The story follows a group of North Korean sleeper agents who have integrated into South Korean society, balancing their clandestine duties with the mundane struggles of daily life, such as rising living costs and family obligations.
Plot
The film centers on Section Chief Kim (Kim Myung-min), a North Korean operative who has lived in South Korea for years, supporting his family by selling smuggled goods. His routine is disrupted when he receives orders from his North Korean superior, Department Head Choi (Yu Hae-jin), to carry out an assassination of a high-level defector living under protective custody. Kim is forced to assemble a team of fellow sleeper agents, including Assistant Manager Kang (Yum Jung-ah), a real estate manager; Advisor Yoon (Byun Hee-bong), an expert in forged documents; and Assistant Manager Woo (Jung Gyu-woon), a computer specialist. While tasked with the mission, the group develops a secondary scheme to steal a large sum of money from the target's safe to improve their own financial situations, all while attempting to evade the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Production
The film was directed by Woo Min-ho, who co-wrote the screenplay with Lee Jung-ho. Principal photography commenced on April 6, 2012, and concluded on July 12, 2012. The final scenes were filmed in the Pyeongchang neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea.
Cast
- Kim Myung-min as Section Chief Kim
- Yum Jung-ah as Assistant Manager Kang
- Byun Hee-bong as Advisor Yoon
- Jung Gyu-woon as Assistant Manager Woo
- Yu Hae-jin as Department Head Choi