Korean Spy Thriller ‘Harbin’ Picked up for North American Release

“Harbin,” the South Korean spy action thriller that debuted this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, has been picked up for North American release.

Well Go USA, a specialty distributor which has a long track record of handling commercial film titles from Asia, has licensed the rights for the U.S. and Cananda. It has confirmed to Variety that it will give the film a theatrical release, but did not confirm a schedule.

Directed by Woo Min-ho, who previously helmed 2015 hit “Inside Men” and “The Man Standing Next,” the film dramatizes pivotal events in the arduous struggle for Korean sovereignty.

In 1905, Japan forced Korea to sign the Eulsa Treaty, stripping the nation of its diplomatic rights and reducing the entire Korean peninsula to a Japanese colony. By 1909, when “Harbin” begins, Korea’s small but tenacious Righteous Army militia is deep into a campaign of armed resistance against the Japanese. After emerging as the sole survivor of an especially bloody skirmish, Ahn Jung-geun (portrayed by Hyun Bin) heads an operation to assassinate Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea and a key symbol of violent colonial oppression. The operation will require Ahn and his cohort to travel clandestinely into Russia, gathering resources and allies while concocting elaborate decoys.

Other cast include Park Jung-min, Jeon Yeo-been, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Jae-myung, Park Hoon and Lee Dong-wook.

Despite the Toronto launchpad, the film’s Korean distributor CJ ENM has skipped a possible release in next week’s Korean Thanksgiving (Chuseok) holiday period and has confirmed that it will release the film in December instead.

“In ‘Harbin’ director Woo has woven an intricate historical epic that is so beautifully, poignantly brought to life by master cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo,” said Doris Pfardrescher, president and CEO at Well Go USA. “‘Harbin’ is a tension-filled and visually stunning portrayal of an incredibly fraught and consequential period in human history, both for Korea and for the world,”

Plano, Texas-based Well Go USA has a rich Asian filmography. It recently committed to upcoming Philippines-set Scott Adkins film “Death March” and heartwarming Thai comedy-drama “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.” Previously it has handled Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Monster,” Donnie Yen actioner “Raging Fire,” Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” and Fan Bingbing-starring “I Am Not Madame Bovary.”