Kill Boksoon

Gil Boksoon leads a double life. She is both the mother of a teenage daughter, whom she is raising on her own, and a legendary professional killer at top-tier killing agency MK Ent. One could even say that she is better at killing people than raising them. But one day, either out of motherly instinct or simply because there are limits to what even the ruthless Boksoon is willing to do, she refuses to complete an assignment. In doing so, she herself becomes a target.
In Kill Boksoon, director Byun Sung-hyun invites us into an astonishing, chilling world in which a killing agency offers an elite path to success and wealth, and talent scouting is all about spotting promising psychopaths and orphans who have nothing to lose. While Boksoon’s daughter is immersed in feelings typical of teenage turmoil, the emotional thermometers of her elders drop to sub-zero temperatures. The leading figures among these cold-blooded assassins are played by the brilliant Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, in roles that are a million miles away from their cult melodramatic performances in filmmaker Lee Chang-dong’s work. Their characters’ almost preternatural fighting skills allow for some spectacular set pieces that will blow your mind – hopefully not literally.
by Byun Sung-hyun
with Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Si-A, Esom, Koo Kyo-hwan
South Korea 2023 Korean 137’ Colour

With

  • Jeon Do-yeon (Gil Boksoon)
  • Sul Kyung-gu (Cha Min-kyu)
  • Kim Si-A (Gil Jae-young)
  • Esom (Cha Min-hee)
  • Koo Kyo-hwan (Han Hee-sung)

Crew

Director Byun Sung-hyun
Screenplay Byun Sung-hyun
Cinematography Cho Hyung-rae
Editing Kim Sang-bum
Music Kim Hong-jip, Lee Jin-hee
Sound Design Kim Byung-in
Sound Kim Byung-in
Production Design Han Ah-rum
Costumes Kim Jung-won
Make-Up Kwon Su-kyung
Assistant Director Lee Tae-sung
Producer Yi Jin-hee

Produced by

See at Film

Byun Sung-hyun

Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1980, he began working as a child actor in 1987 and studied acting at the Seoul Institute of the Arts. He has written and directed four feature films including Kingmaker for which he won Best Director at the Baeksang Art Awards which recognise excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea, as well as Best Directing Achievement in a South Korean Film at the Daejong Film Awards.

Filmography

2010 Cheong-chun Geu-ru-beu (The Beat Goes On) 2012 Na-ui Pi-e-seu Pa-teu-neo (Whatcha Wearin’) 2017 Bul-han-dang: Na-ppeun Nom-deul-ui Se-sang (The Merciless) 2022 King-me-i-keo (Kingmaker) 2023 Kill Boksoon

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023