TRAILERS

Official US Trailer for Korean Political Thriller 'The Man Standing Next'

by Alex Billington
May 11, 2020
Source: YouTube

"It is my duty to protect the country!" Capelight Pictures has debuted the official US trailer for a Korean thriller titled The Man Standing Next, the latest from filmmaker Woo Min-ho (Man of Vendetta, The Spies, Inside Men). Based on real events, this political espionage suspense film is set in the 1970s in Korea. The country is under the absolute control of the president Park who controls the KCIA, the one organization with the edge over any branch of government. A former KCIA agent is exiled to America, where he begins to reveal the truth about the government's obscure and illegal operations. Starring Lee Byung-hun (seen in I Saw the Devil, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Terminator Genisys) as Kim Kyu-Pyeong, with Lee Hee-joon, Kwak Do-won, and Lee Sung-min. This looks like a compelling film about the politics of Korea, but it seems a bit bland at first glance. But I still like the 1970s outfits and all the mysterious behind-closed-doors intrigue.

Here's the official US trailer (+ two posters) for Woo Min-ho's The Man Standing Next, from YouTube:

In the 1970s, Korea is under the absolute control of President Park, who also controls the KCIA, the one organization with an edge over any branch of government. The director of the KCIA, Kim Gyu-pyeong, is a shoo-in for second-in-command. In the midst of a reign of fear, a former KCIA director, Park Yong-gak, who knows all about the government's obscure and illegal operations, is exiled to the U.S., where he opens the floodgates to the investigation of Koreagate. As tension escalates, stifling political maneuvers by those desiring power collide explosively. The Man Standing Next, originally titled Namsanui Bujangdeul, is both written and directed by Korean filmmaker Woo Min-ho, director of the films Man of Vendetta, The Spies, Inside Men, Shimajiro and the Rainbow Oasis, and The Drug King previously. It's produced by Sarah Kang, Kim Won-guk Kim, and Woo Min-ho. This already opened in theaters in South Korea earlier in the year. Capelight Pictures will release Woo's The Man Standing Next in the US sometime this summer. Interested?

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