DEAD MAN (2025)

🎬 Overview

• Title: Dead Man

• Original Title: 데드맨

• Genre: Crime Thriller

• Country: South Korea

• Director & Writer: Ha Joon-won (in his feature film debut)

• Runtime: 109 minutes

🎭 Cast & Crew

• Cho Jin-woong as Lee Man-jae – a powerful but exploited figurehead CEO

• Kim Hee-ae in a pivotal supporting role

• Lee Soo-kyung rounds out the principal trio

• Music: Mowg

• Cinematography: Kim Dong-young

• Editing: Han Mi-yeon

• Production: Palette Pictures, Saram Entertainment

• Distribution: Megabox Plus M

🧩 Plot Summary

Lee Man-jae is a successful businessman who allows his name to be used as a "borrowed-name CEO" for shady corporate deals. One day, he is falsely accused of embezzlement and declared legally dead. But in truth, he’s alive—imprisoned in a secret facility in China, used and discarded by those in power.

Escaping this nightmare, Lee Man-jae returns under the radar. What follows is a chilling journey of vengeance and justice, as he hunts down the people who destroyed his life, manipulated the system, and buried his identity.

🎯 Themes & Style

1. Identity Theft & Systemic Abuse:
   The film sharply critiques how easily powerful systems can erase a person’s identity, using them as pawns for corporate crimes.

2. Revenge & Redemption:
   The emotional drive comes from Lee’s need not just for revenge—but to reclaim his dignity and name.

3. Dark Realism:
   Reflecting real-life exploitation in business and law, the film blends gritty noir atmosphere with grounded social commentary.

4. Psychological Intensity:
   The pacing is tight and suspenseful, with intense scenes of betrayal, isolation, and confrontation.

🌟 Highlights

• Cho Jin-woong's Performance:
  As Lee Man-jae, he delivers a layered and emotionally raw performance, showcasing both despair and fury.

• Ha Joon-won’s Direction:
  For a debut feature, Ha demonstrates control over complex themes, intense pacing, and strong character arcs.

• Technical Excellence:
  Mowg’s haunting score and Kim Dong-young’s shadow-rich cinematography create a foreboding yet immersive mood.

🎥 Critical Reception

"Dead Man" has been praised for its original concept and sharp storytelling. Critics noted the film’s blend of suspense, emotional weight, and social relevance. While not a mainstream blockbuster, it has carved a niche with fans of serious thrillers and noir-style Korean cinema.

📌 Why It Stands Out

"Dead Man" isn’t just a crime film—it’s a sobering look at the fragility of identity and how easily a person can be consumed by larger systems. For audiences looking for more than surface-level action, it delivers moral complexity, revenge-fueled intensity, and a chilling atmosphere.

✅ Final Verdict

If you're drawn to stories of betrayal, survival, and justice—told through the lens of Korean noir—Dead Man is a must-watch. It’s an emotionally resonant, visually gripping, and thematically rich thriller that will leave you questioning how far you'd go if everything you were was taken away.