Actor, director delve into Korea's real-life underworld for new film 'Yadang: The Snitch'

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Actor, director delve into Korea's real-life underworld for new film 'Yadang: The Snitch'

Published: 14 Apr. 2025, 15:26 Updated: 14 Apr. 2025, 19:21

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

A scene from the upcoming film, ″Yadang: The Snitch″ [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT

In Korean criminal slang, yadang refers to drug offenders who act as brokers in the narcotics underworld. These individuals provide drug-related information to law enforcement and strike plea deals for reduced sentences in exchange for cooperation — often turning a profit in the process.

When the posters for "Yadang: The Snitch" began appearing ahead of its release on Wednesday, many Koreans assumed it was a politically charged film. Yadang in Korean also means “opposition party.”

“Yadang: The Snitch" is a crime thriller that delves into this rarely explored element of Korean society. The film follows Lee Kang-su, played by actor Kang Ha-neul, who becomes a yadang under the watchful eye of prosecutor Ku Kwan-hee, played by actor Yoo Hai-jin, after being falsely accused of a drug crime.

With Kang-su’s help, Ku racks up arrests and accelerates his career, while narcotics detective Oh Sang-jae, played by actor Park Hae-joon, repeatedly misses out on suspects due to the duo’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

Director Hwang Byeong-gug [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT]

But Ku, blinded by ambition, is swayed by Jo Hun, played by actor Ryu Kyung-soo, the son of a presidential front-runner who has been caught for drug offenses. In an attempt to cover up the scandal, Ku plots to eliminate Kang-su, Sang-jae and actress Um Su-jin, played by actor Chae Won-bin, who had been helping Sang-jae with his investigation. The three barely survive and unite to take revenge on those who betrayed them.

The film portrays the high-stakes power games among the three characters, blurring the lines between legality and crime as they each pursue their own desires — drawing comparisons to “Inside Men” (2015), but set in the world of drugs.

To hear more about the film, Kang, 35, who offers his fresh take on a reckless, vengeance-fueled character, and filmmaker Hwang Byeong-gug, 57, who returns to the director’s chair for the first time in 14 years since “Special Investigation Unit” (2011), met with local reporters last week for an interview at a cafe in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. The following are edited excerpts.

Actor Kang Ha-neul [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT]

Q. What was the starting point for the film?

Hwang: It was an article about how drug offenders gather at prosecutors’ offices to share drug information. The term yadang mentioned in the article struck me as a figure hovering between good and evil, legality and illegality. That ambiguity made it a fascinating subject for a film.

Kang: That’s what drew me to the project, too. At first, I thought it was a fictional concept. But once I realized it was real, I wanted to bring that intriguing world, its characters and its story to the screen.

How did you conduct your research?

Hwang: About half the scenes and characters in the film are based on real events. I interviewed over 100 drug offenders and people in law enforcement. The character of prosecutor Ku is a composite of several real prosecutors. Detective Oh Sang-jae, who suffers because of the prosecutor-yadang collusion, was inspired by two actual officers who experienced similar ordeals. Scenes — such as drug busts in the heart of Gangnam and the police catching a suspect at Yongsan Station only to have prosecutors swoop in and take him — were all incidents that really happened.

A scene from the upcoming film, ″Yadang: The Snitch″ [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT

Wasn’t it dangerous interviewing drug offenders?

Hwang: I never met anyone alone. I always took someone with me and chose places with CCTV. Once, I was even mistaken for a drug offender during research and had to take a urine test at a police station. I cooperated with the test because I thought the experience might help shape a realistic scene. It actually became part of the film.

Are real-life yadang as confident as they’re portrayed in the film?

Hwang: They are. The ones I met drove imported cars and wore luxury brands — very flashy. Unlike dealers who stay underground, they flaunt themselves because they believe they have powerful connections.

Kang: That self-assurance is part of what makes Kang-su compelling. There's a scene early on that explains the yadang character, and I purposely played it with a lighter tone so it wouldn’t feel too heavy from the start. I added some playful elements too.

What did you focus on most while acting?

Kang: If I portrayed the character as too evil, people might hate him. But I also couldn’t make him too sympathetic. I kept adjusting my performance — pulling back when he seemed too bad, and pushing forward when he felt too good — always aiming for the middle ground.

Hwang: Some viewers say the sex scene in the drug den is too explicit, but I wanted to realistically depict the dangers and horrors of drug addiction. What I saw and heard was far worse than what’s shown. I even met a young man whose IQ dropped to 65 due to drug abuse. That scene is a turning point in the film, which is why we gave it special attention.

A scene from the upcoming film, ″Yadang: The Snitch″ [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT

How did you portray drug addiction and recovery?

Kang: I watched a lot of foreign documentaries on drug addiction. I discussed with the director how far I should go, and we agreed I needed to hit rock bottom. I wanted to show pain and chaos — from hallucinations in a locked room to hitting my head on a wall until I bled. That part was cut. In the aftermath, I chose a stuttering speech pattern to reflect lingering trauma.

Many people call this the drug version of “Inside Men.” What do you think?

Hwang: There are only so many narrative patterns in revenge stories. What matters is how you make them feel new. I aimed for a fast-paced, satisfying film with action and a strong ending.

Kang: I’ve never really had a thing for noir. I prefer shows like “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019) or “When Life Gives You Tangerines.” I wasn’t thinking of “Inside Men” at all. I just focused on matching the film’s energetic tone with my acting.

Coincidentally, the release comes as drug crimes are worsening in Korea. What's your take on that?

Kang: We even had to change a line. Originally, the narration said 16,000 drug offenders were arrested in a year based on 2021 data. But the number kept rising, so we re-recorded it to say 28,000. Including unreported offenders, the figure could be over 500,000.

A scene from the upcoming film, ″Yadang: The Snitch″ [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT

There’s a line in the film: "A prosecutor can make or break a president," which some see as a political jab. Why did you add that in?

Hwang: Some people try to link the film to the current political climate, but the script was written in 2021. Ku isn’t an absolute villain. He’s just a man who gave in to temptation. Ku probably didn’t expect to end up like this when he was a rookie. In his office, there’s a frame with the phrase, “When the nest is destroyed, even the eggs are broken” — meaning if the rule of law collapses, so do the people. It’s something we should all reflect on.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JUNG HYUN-MOK [[email protected]]