By NYAFF UNCAGED
Welcome back to another episode of UNCAGED, the official podcast presented by the New York Asian Film Festival. This episode features the Q&A session for the South Korean spy action film, "Phantom," which had its North American Premiere at NYAFF 2023. Festival director Sam Jamier is joined by lead actress, Lee Hanee, who received this year’s Best from the East Award.
Phantom is based on Mai Jia’s 2007 novel, "The Message" (Feng Sheng), and is set in 1933 Korea during Japanese colonial rule. The novel has been adapted several times including the 2009 film, "The Message" and the 2020 television series. "Phantom" and "The Message" are set in different countries and historical periods, illustrating different perspectives of political turmoil and war-torn disarray.
The narrative begins after an underground anti-Japanese organization fails to assassinate the new Japanese resident-general in Seoul. The colonial government rounds up five suspects, each of whom might be the infamous anti-Japanese spy "Phantom." As the five desperately attempt to prove their innocence, one suspect is secretly trying to capture the spy himself, to exact revenge on his old nemesis. While the film depicts an action-packed and historical story, the relationship between female characters takes dramatic precedence, as we study how Lee Hanee and Park So-dam’s characters survive a dangerous, male-domianted environment.
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