Smugglers (2023 film)

Smugglers is a 2023 South Korean action crime film directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, who co-wrote the film with Kim Jeong-yeon. The film stars Kim Hye-soo, Yum Jung-ah, Zo In-sung, Park Jeong-min, Kim Jong-soo, and Go Min-si.

Smugglers was released theatrically on July 26, 2023. The film is said to be based on the motif of haenyeo who participated in smuggling in the 1970s, overlapping with the fact that a female smuggling ring was active in Busan at the time.

Synopsis
Haenyeo lost their jobs overnight when a chemical plant was built in the peaceful seaside town of Guncheon. Chun-ja (Kim Hye-soo) is a fighter looking for a way to make a living. It is said that you can make a lot of money just by lifting an object thrown into the sea. She learns about the world of smuggling and makes an attractive proposal to the leader of the haenyeo, Jin-sook (Yum Jung-ah), who made a bold decision to make a living despite knowing that it was dangerous. As she meets Sergeant Kwon (Zo In-sung), the national smuggling king, she falls in love with smuggling. Then one day, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a fortune arrives.

Main

 * Kim Hye-soo as Jo Chun-ja, a smuggler.
 * Yum Jung-ah as Um Jin-sook, Chun-ja's best friend and the eldest sister of the smuggler who is the leader of haenyeo.
 * Zo In-sung as Sergeant Kwon, the national smuggling king.
 * Park Jeong-min as Jang Do-ri, the youngest child.
 * Kim Jong-soo as Lee Jang-chun, a customs officer.
 * Go Min-si as Go Ok-bun, the youngest hidden card who runs a coffee shop.

Supporting

 * Park Kyung-hye as Dok-soon, a haenyeo
 * Kim Jae-hwa as haenyeo
 * Baek Joo-hee as Somers
 * Shim So-young as Diver
 * Park Jun-myeon as Yang Geum-ne, a haenyeo
 * Joo Bo-bi as Lee Eok-cheok, a haenyeo

Production
Principal photography began on June 5, 2021.

Release
The film was officially invited to the Special Presentations section at 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, which held from September 7 to 17 following the Locarno International Film Festival.

Box office
The film was released on July 26, 2023 in South Korea. The opening recorded 318,084 admissions and topped the South Korean box office for two weeks. The film surpassed 1 million admissions on fourth day of its released and surpassed 4 million on their 17th days of released. Smugglers became the second movie to reach break-even point in 2023 after The Roundup: No Way Out.