Humint director focuses on restraint and depth

Feb 24, 2026, 07:26 am

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Director Ryoo Seung-wan on the set of the spy action film Humint, released on Feb. 11. / Courtesy of NEW

The spy action film Humint, which opened on Feb. 11, reveals a noticeably deepened perspective from director Ryoo Seung-wan, known for balancing commercial appeal with sharp storytelling.

Unlike his earlier works, Humint strips away humor and flashy technique, instead focusing on the emotional undercurrents between characters. Set in Vladivostok, Russia, the film portrays confrontation and cooperation between North and South Korea. While it shares thematic similarities with Ryoo’s 2013 hit The Berlin File, the new film adopts a far more restrained tone.

Meeting reporters at a café in central Seoul, Ryoo said he has made a conscious effort in recent years to avoid stylistic excess on set. “I often tell my cinematographer and crew not to shoot in a ‘showy’ way,” he said. “I try to keep things as simple as possible, avoid unnecessary flair and approach the essence of the story more directly.”

He added, “Unlike my previous films, Humint has no humor at all. I tried to maintain suspense purely through rhythm, eliminating technical embellishments and focusing entirely on the relationships between the characters.”

The director’s evolving approach has drawn praise from longtime fans and critics. However, box-office results have been somewhat below expectations. According to the Korean Film Council, the film has attracted nearly 1.6 million viewers since its release but trails behind The Man Who Lives with the King, which is approaching 6 million admissions.

“These days, I’m simply grateful that people come to theaters at all,” Ryoo said. “During the Lunar New Year holiday, I visited theaters for stage greetings and felt happy seeing families filling the seats again. At the same time, I couldn’t help but worry, wondering whether this wonderful playground will continue to survive.”

Humint marks Ryoo’s 14th feature film and his third collaboration with actor Zo In-sung, following Escape from Mogadishu and Smugglers.

“Zo In-sung has become more than just a leading actor — he’s a partner who shares the burden with me,” Ryoo said. “He’s now capable of what I’d call subtractive acting. In this film, he plays not the pillar but the root. He’s aging beautifully as an actor, and during overseas shoots he showed even more dedicated leadership than before.”

Ryoo’s next project will be Veteran 3, the latest installment of his popular crime-action franchise starring Hwang Jung-min. Unlike the second film, which delved into themes of private vengeance and the justification of violence, the third installment will return to the tone and spirit of the original.

“I need to catch my breath, and there are scheduling matters with Hwang Jung-min, so I can’t say exactly when production will begin,” Ryoo said. “But just as always, I intend to turn both the love and the criticism for Humint into nourishment for Veteran 3. As I often say, you can’t become a world boxing champion without taking a few punches.”

#Humint #Ryoo Seung-wan #Zo In-sung #Veteran 3