''Man on the Edge'' (

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

: 박수건달; RR: Baksoogundal) is a 2013

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

n film directed by

Jo Jin-kyu Jo Jin-kyu (born 1960) is a South Korean film director. Jo's directorial debut was the hit gangster comedy '' My Wife Is a Gangster'' (2001). He returned to the series with ''My Wife Is a Gangster 3'' in 2006. In 2016, he directed a joint Korean ...

. The story follows Gwang-ho (

Park Shin-yang Park Shin-yang (; born November 1, 1968) is a South Korean actor. He majored in acting at Dongguk University in South Korea and studied at the Mikhail Shchepkin Higher Theatre School in Russia. From 1996 he won a number of acting awards in ...

), the right-hand man of a powerful crime boss, as he struggles with the realization that he is destined to become a shaman. ''Man on the Edge'' is director Jo Jin-kyu's fifth film; his debut feature, '' My Wife Is a Gangster'', is credited with sparking the popularity of gangster themes in Korean cinema. In a press conference for the film, lead actor

told the audience that among his other preparations, he went to a shaman to learn more about the traditional practices.

Plot

After a knife wound alters the fate line on his palm, high-class gangster Gwang-ho experiences a series of strange events, including voices beckoning him and objects inexplicably moving around him. One such event occurs when a newspaper, seemingly blown by the wind, persistently follows Gwang-ho as he tries to run away. The newspaper features a large ad for a fortune teller, who Gwang-ho decides to visit. The fortune teller reveals that the strange events are being caused by a spirit. In order to accept the spirit and begin fulfilling his destiny as a shaman, he must perform a ritual. Unable to escape his fate, Gwang-ho begins a double life, working as a fortune teller by day and a criminal by evening—a life that is increasingly difficult to maintain. Meanwhile, Tae-joo (Kim Jung-tae), a rival member of the gang, is plotting to get rid of Gwang-ho and take his place. Tae-joo's henchmen spy on Gwang-ho, and as they begin to discover his secret, they use their discoveries to try to destroy him.

Cast

as Park Gwang-Ho *

Kim Jung-tae Kim Jung-tae (born Kim Tae-wook on December 13, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his supporting roles on film and television. Career He made his acting debut in 1999 with the film ''The Uprising'' under his birth name Kim Tae- ...

as Cha Tae-Joo *

Uhm Ji-won Uhm Ji-won (born December 25, 1977) is a South Korean actress. Career Uhm Ji-won made her acting debut in the late 1990s, and after an early role in the Korean tokusatsu series ''Vectorman'', went on to appear in a number of films and televi ...

as Fortune Teller Myung *

Jung Hye-young Jung Hye-young (born December 14, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She is a part of the YG Entertainment group and is best known for her roles in Korean television dramas. Personal life In 2004, Jung married Sean Noh, a member of hip-hop du ...

as Dr. Choi Mi-Sook * Yoon Song-yi as Han Soo-Min *

Kim Sung-kyun Kim Sung-kyun (born May 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor. Kim began his career in theatre, then made his screen debut as a gangster boss's faithful henchman in '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'', followed by supporting roles in '' The Ne ...

as Ko Choon-Bong *

Choi Ji-ho Choi Ji-ho (born November 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor and model. He began his entertainment career in 2003 as part of Model Line's stable, walking the runways for Gucci Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based i ...

as Wang Dae-Sik *

Choi Il-hwa Choi Il-hwa (born May 9, 1959) is a South Korean actor. He joined the Madang Sesil Theatre Group in 1983, and has since continued acting in Korean theater, television and film. Filmography Film *'' No Tomorrow (2016) *''Wonderful Nightmare'' ...

as the boss * Park Jung-ja as the elder fortune teller * Kim Hyeong-beom as Cha Tae-Joo's henchman *

Cho Jin-woong Cho Jin-woong (born Jo Won-jun; March 3, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles as Sejong's loyal bodyguard in ''Deep Rooted Tree'' (2011), a mobster in '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' (2012), and a mysterious vil ...

as the prosecutor

Release & Reception

The film was released on January 9, 2013, and remained at #1 at the South Korean box office throughout the month, selling 3,897,969 tickets during its theatrical run. It received mixed reviews, with audiences generally rating it higher than film critics. Many reporters described it as a fun movie with compelling performances; some criticized the story's unrealistic circumstances, while others hailed the story as unique and interesting. When the film was released in Japan, Japanese production and distribution company SPO held a 'Park Shin-yang Festival 2014' at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills. The festival ran from February 1–14, screening other films featuring the actor in addition to the main feature.

Awards & nominations

References

External links

* * *
''Baksoogundal''
at Movist * {{KMDb film, 13232, Man on the Edge (Baksugeondal)
''Man on the Edge''
at the

Korean Film Council The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) () is a state-supported, self-administered organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of the Republic of Korea. History KOFIC was launched in 1973 as the Korean Motion Picture Promotion C ...

''Baksoogundal''
at Daum
''Bak-su-geon-dal''
at

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

2013 films South Korean crime comedy-drama films 2010s Korean-language films 2013 comedy films 2010s South Korean films