‘Shiri’ Director: 'Receiving Many Offers from Japan, In Development for 2 Yrs'

▲ Filmmaker Kang Je-gyu speaks during a special screening and audience Q&A session for the re-release of his film 'Shiri' at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul on March 18, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- "Shiri" achieved remarkable success in Japan, and I still receive numerous proposals for a sequel," said film director Kang Je-gyu during a special screening and audience Q&A session for the film’s re-release at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul on Tuesday. 

"Even Top Gun got a sequel after 30 years. I’ve been working with writers for two years now, trying to figure out how to meet audience expectations without disappointing them," he added. 

The re-release marks 26 years since the original 1999 debut, now digitally remastered for improved visual quality.

▲ A still from South Korean blockbuster film "Shiri," directed by Kang Je-gyu. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Kang expressed his excitement, saying, "It feels like I’ve found a long-lost child. This film had been buried in the deep underground for so long, and I’m thrilled to bring it back."

"Shiri" was a groundbreaking spy thriller featuring elite South Korean intelligence agents battling North Korean operatives, including a high-ranking military officer and an undercover agent. The film boasted an all-star cast, including Han Suk-kyu, Choi Min-sik, Kim Yoon-jin, and Song Kang-ho.

The movie was revolutionary for the Korean film industry, featuring large-scale gunfight sequences, an unprecedented location shoot at Seoul’s Jamsil Olympic Stadium, and a massive production budget. It set a new benchmark, with critics often stating that Korean cinema is divided into "before and after Shiri." The film attracted approximately 6.2 million viewers in Korea, making it the highest-grossing Korean film of its time. In Japan, it surpassed 1 million admissions and was even re-released last year, continuing to enjoy popularity.

▲ A still from South Korean blockbuster film "Shiri," directed by Kang Je-gyu. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

However, due to the disbandment of its production company, Samsung Entertainment Group, during the IMF financial crisis, Shiri’s intellectual property (IP) was not properly managed, preventing it from being available on IPTV or streaming platforms. It was only through CJ ENM’s intervention as an IP agent that the film made its way back to theaters.

Samsung Entertainment Group, established by Samsung Electronics to enter the film industry, invested 2.2 billion won (approximately $1.7 million) in Shiri, marking the first time a Korean film’s production budget exceeded 2 billion won.

Kang recalled that the film would have cost at least 5 billion won if not for Samsung’s infrastructure, which provided access to locations like Samsung Electronics factories, Samsung Plaza, and Samsung SDS offices, significantly reducing expenses.

However, he admitted that the heavy Samsung branding in the film has been a topic of discussion. "People keep asking if we can remove the Samsung logo from the helicopter in the movie. Watching it again today, I did feel a bit embarrassed," he said with a laugh.

▲ A still from South Korean blockbuster film "Shiri," directed by Kang Je-gyu. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Kang also revealed that some scenes were shot without proper permits. For the film’s climactic Jamsil Olympic Stadium sequence, "The Korea Football Association wouldn’t grant us permission, so I got a KBS journalist friend to lend me a KBS sticker. We stuck it on our camera, snuck into the stadium pretending to be a news crew, and even hid in the restroom with Han Suk-kyu until the time was right—just like a real 007 operation," he recounted.

While Shiri is remembered for its scale and genre innovation, its emotional core—exploring themes of romance, friendship, and the division between North and South Korea—resonated deeply with audiences.

Kang explained that his perspective on North Korea changed while writing his previous film, The Gingko Bed (1996), during a stay in Beijing, where he met North Korean students. "I realized they were just like us—people who want to live well and be happy. Hearing their personal love stories inspired me to create a film. Initially, it was going to be a romance, but I decided to blend multiple genres to make it stand out."

Given Shiri’s success, even its supporting cast later became major stars. Song Kang-ho, who played protagonist Yu Jung-won’s (Han Suk-kyu) friend and colleague Lee Jang-gil, was a rising actor at the time. Other minor roles featured now-famous actors such as Hwang Jung-min, Kim Soo-ro, Jang Hyun-sung, and Lee Jong-hyuk.

Interestingly, the role of Lee Jang-gil was initially offered to Cha In-pyo, who declined, leading to Song Kang-ho’s casting. Kang recalled, "When I saw Song Kang-ho in No. 3, I was shocked—how could there be such an actor in Korea? His realistic acting style was a revelation, and I knew he would become a major force in the industry."

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