Shiri

I watched Shiri and it’s one of those movies that changed Korean cinema forever. Released in 1999, it was one of the first big budget action films made in South Korea and helped launch the modern wave of Korean blockbusters. Director Kang Je-gyu mixes action, romance, and spy drama into a story about loyalty, love, and betrayal.

The film follows South Korean agents Ryu and Lee as they hunt down a deadly North Korean assassin named Hee. She’s part of a terrorist plan to steal a new liquid explosive that looks like water but can destroy entire buildings. The agents race to stop the attack while dealing with betrayal from within their own team.

At first it plays like a fast paced spy thriller with shootouts and chases, but there’s an emotional love story underneath that ties into the main plot in a shocking way. When the truth comes out, it hits hard and turns the whole film into something much more personal and tragic.

The action scenes are intense, though sometimes too shaky and chaotic. The shootouts are thrilling even if the camera moves around too much. The final act during a football match feels over the top but it’s exciting and full of emotion. The film has the energy of a Hollywood blockbuster while keeping its Korean heart and political edge about the divided Korea.

The performances really carry the story. Han Suk-kyu gives Ryu both strength and sadness, while Song Kang-ho adds warmth and humor as his partner. Choi Min-sik is cold and powerful as the villain, and Kim Yoon-jin brings mystery and heartbreak to her role. Even when the plot feels familiar, the actors make you care about what happens.

Shiri was clearly inspired by 80s and 90s American action movies like Die Hard, but it adds its own cultural depth about war, separation, and emotional toll. It’s not perfect. The story can be predictable and some scenes are too dramatic, but it’s made with so much energy and emotion that you can’t help enjoying it. Looking back, it feels a bit dated but it’s still a milestone.

It proved Korean filmmakers could make big, stylish, emotional action movies on their own terms and opened the door for everything that came after. Shiri is both a thrilling action film and a touching story about people trapped between duty and love. Not flawless, but powerful and important.