‘Smugglers’: The Thrill of This Soon-to-Release Korean Film Is Seeming to a Fault

Above all else, the movie’s trailer makes it awe-inspiring. In a visually stunning scenario designed by the ship’s captain, director Ryoo Seung-wan, it mixes its discerning characteristics—a theme of smuggling, underwater action, and a defined ensemble of alluring characters—for good measure. Smugglers surely pose a significant draw with his name attached, sealing the deal on its potential popularity. Ryoo is appropriately considered Korea’s “action kid” given his precursories, Die Bad (2000), Crying Fist (2005), and The Battleship Island (2017), the latter of which is my personal choice attributable to its exquisite cinematography and opulent action scene. He exploits vivid action in his work, perhaps as an extension of his tough lifestyle.

The fast-paced criminal drama, starring Kim Hye-soo, Yum Jung-ah, Jo In-sung, Park Jeong-min, Kim Jong-soo, and Go Min-si, unfolds in the 1970s and hinges on Haenyeo, who turns to smuggling against the scenic backdrop of a tranquil tiny sea hamlet. I’m sure the two key players, Kim Hye-soo as a smuggler and Jo In-sung as a national smuggling monarch, will stimulate bold thefts that weave together anticipated crazy story twists, making for high-quality entertainment. Between luxurious intensity and an ingenious mastery of crimes and criminals, I picture a thriller that might even include some impromptu romance.

I see a Ryoo-directed film with Kim Hye-soo and Jo In-sung sharing screen time as one that may go above and beyond the standard in several ways. The actors communicate complex emotions in a manner that sort of immediately evokes a connection with their characters. They have attained unprecedented levels of success, and spaces where artistic talent and personality coexist—two very venerated actors in Korea—and their combined strengths will thus only heighten the narrative’s interest.

In a thorough interview with Cine21, Ryoo reveals the rationale behind making the haenyo get wrapped up in smuggling. He says that in the 1970s, a time of rapid economic expansion, problems like the Itai-itai disease surfaced, endangering lives. Besides, the haenyeo women at hand, who once lived through fishing and harvesting sea life, were hardly able to do so in the wake of a factory built along their coastal region. They consequently experience a threat to their existence and resort to smuggling to make ends meet. Accordingly, Smugglers, he explains, is a highly challenging production in its myriad underwater actions and technical skills employed to effectively offer the right visuals onscreen.

He continues that vital episodes in the picture play out over time underwater. While shooting in the sea was risky, a clear view of the seabed was inevitable. He thereby placed the seaweed in the undersea set and recorded it. A further challenge encountered in post-production to get the required results was producing realistic underwater sound effects, for which he underwent a series of unique experiences. Hence, Ryoo says, “I hope the audience finds the film just as fascinating as the effort to capture the details of the smuggling scene under the sea in the 1970s.” Smugglers will hit theaters on July 26, 2023.