Believer

Won-ho, a narcotics detective, has spent years chasing an organisation boss called Mr Lee whom nobody has seen and whose existence is disputed. Rak, a low level member who survives an explosion, makes an offer: he will guide from the inside and Won-ho will reach Mr Lee. Neither man's intention is legible. Lee Hae-young directs. Cho Jin-woong plays Won-ho and Ryu Jun-yeol plays Rak. It is the Korean adaptation of Johnnie To's Drug War from 2012. The Korean version keeps most of the plot and changes the register: instead of To's cold, distanced telling it builds something more stylised, darker and centred on character. What is discussed most is Brian, played by Kim Joo-hyuk. The actor died in a car accident after shooting and before release; it was his last role, and the performance was widely commemorated in Korea. It was a large commercial success and among the most watched Korean films of the year. A sequel was made with the same team in 2021. Who it is for: viewers who like Korean crime cinema and narcotics operation narrative. Who it is not for: the violence is heavy and the ending is left open, and for anyone comparing it to the original some scenes run longer than they need to.