It's great to see a filmmaker who has so far managed to maintain a distinct style in his filmography getting the freedom to do the same in a longer format. Korean thriller master Woo Min-ho's obsession with examining the rot at the core of immense power structures continues with Made in Korea, his first foray into the web series space. As someone who has been following his career, I'm happy to report that it's the classiest, most sophisticated undertaking in the streaming space I've seen what David Fincher did with Mindhunter and Steve Zaillian did with Ripley.
The six-episode series, streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, sees Woo Min-ho returning to the same territory of his 2020 espionage thriller The Man Standing Next — against the backdrop of the activities of the KCIA (the Korean intelligence entity that, it is said, is more ruthless than its American counterpart) in the 1970s. Since this happens to be a tumultuous time in Korean history, Min-ho's detail-rich storytelling approach requires one to keep up with the basics, if you're into this particular area, of what transpired during that time and how far the tentacles of a nefarious organisation and its individuals extended. Made in Korea should appeal to those who love thriller stories centred on the mind games between two powerful characters, each with their own unique personalities and an unconventional way of doing things.
In Made in Korea, the action revolves around an influential KCIA agent, Baek Ki-tae (Hyun Bin), who is introduced in episode 1 in the middle of an aircraft hijack. Min-ho has a purpose behind introducing the character this way — to give us a sense of what kind of man Ki-tae is and the number of variables operating behind the scenes. It's only towards the end of this episode that we are introduced to Jang Geon-young (Jung Woo-sung), a determined prosecutor who slowly proves to be a perfect sparring partner for Ki-tae. But here, the focus is more on brains than brawn. Anyone familiar with Min-ho's films would know that he is more interested in "action" through behaviour, mannerisms, and character development than big-scale spectacle and pyrotechnics.
But that's not to say there's no "spectacle" at all. Min-ho has always been one who puts a lot of effort into the canvas of his films, be it in his 2015 political thriller Inside Men (which dug into the vast network involving corrupt journalists, gangsters and government) or The Drug King (which told the story of the rise and fall of a narcotics kingpin in the 1970s) or his most recent Harbin (which chronicled the intense journey of Korean independence acitivist Ah Jung-geun). His characters dress sharp, and move around as if they're James Bond or Alain Delon in Le Samourai (who gets a mention in the show a couple of times).
With his cinematographers Kim Tae-sung and Lee Young-woo, and editor Jung Ji-eun, Min-ho paints an atmospheric landscape thick with peril. Min-ho is a filmmaker who understands the importance of lighting, contrast, and composition in the same way that some of the old masters who operated in the genre. There are numerous immersive frames in Made in Korea that are worthy of being displayed on a wall, to pore over every detail.
I've been staying away from multi-episode shows lately, because aside from the limited series format, I've grown weary of waiting for shows that take a lot of time between seasons. But when one of my favourite Korean filmmakers comes up with something that's right up my alley, how can I not make an exception? A second season of Made in Korea was already greenlit before the premiere of Season 1, and I wouldn't mind doing a rewatch before the next chapter arrives. I hope it arrives soon enough.
Series: Made in Korea
Director: Woo Min-ho
Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Hyun Bin, Woo Do-hwan, Cho Yeo-jeong
Rating: 5/5
