Kill Boksoon (Korean: 길복순) is a 2023 South Korean action thriller film written and directed by Byun Sung-hyun. It stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Si-a, Esom, and Koo Kyo-hwan. The movie is full of exciting action and drama, and it premiered on Netflix on March 31, 2023.
K-Movie Profile
- Movie Title (English): Kill Boksoon
- Movie Title (Korean): 길복순
- Revised Romanization: Gil Boksun
- Genres: Action, noir, thriller, drama, crime, black comedy, gore, picaresque
- Director: Byun Sung-hyun
- Writer: Byun Sung-hyun
- Producer: Yi Jin-hee
- Starring: Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Si-a, Esom, Koo Kyo-hwan
- Cinematographer: Cho Hyung-rae
- Editor: Kim Sang-bum
- Composer: Lee Jin-hee, Kim Hong-jip
- Production Company: See At Film
- Distributor: Netflix
- Release Date: March 31, 2023 (South Korea)
- Running Time: 137 minutes
- Country: South Korea
- Language: Korean
- Rating: R-19
Plot Synopsis
Kill Boksoon (2023) is a South Korean action thriller about Gil Bok-soon, a skilled contract killer who is also a single mother. She faces dangerous enemies, including a ruthless yakuza, while trying to protect her teenage daughter, Jae-young, who struggles with school and reveals a secret about her sexuality.
Bok-soon deals with betrayal at work, taking on violent missions and confronting those who threaten her. The film combines intense action, crime, and dark humor, while exploring family, loyalty, and moral choices, making it a thrilling watch for fans of Korean action and suspense.
Main Casts
Jeon Do-yeon (as Gil Bok-soon)
- Name (English): Jeon Do-yeon
- Name (Korean): 전도연
- Revised Romanization: Jeon Doyeon
- Birthdate: February 11, 1973
- Age: 52
- Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Occupation: Actress
- Debut: 1990
- Agency: Management SOOP
- Height: 165 cm
- Blood Type: O
- MBTI: I***
- Website: Official site
Jeon Do-yeon is a famous South Korean actress known for her powerful and versatile performances. She made her film debut in The Contact (1997) and gained attention with A Promise (1998) and The Harmonium in My Memory (1999).
Her role in Secret Sunshine (2007) earned her Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, making her the first Korean actor to win this award. She has starred in bold films like The Housemaid (2010), Way Back Home (2013), The Shameless (2015), and Birthday (2019), and is considered a role model for young actresses in South Korea.
Sul Kyung-gu (as Cha Min-kyu)
- Name (English): Sul Kyung-gu
- Name (Korean): 설경구
- Revised Romanization: Seol Gyeonggu
- Birthdate: May 14, 1967
- Age: 58
- Birthplace: Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Occupation: Actor
- Debut: 1993
- Agency: C-JeS Studios
- Height: 178 cm
- Blood Type: O
- MBTI: ISFJ
- Website: Official site
Sul Kyung-gu is a well-known South Korean actor famous for his work in both theater and film. He started his career in theater after graduating in 1994, appearing in productions like Subway Line 1, True West, and Love Letters.
He became one of Korea’s top actors in the 2000s with films such as Peppermint Candy (1999), Oasis (2002), the Public Enemy series, and Silmido (2003). He has won multiple Best Actor awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards for movies including Hope (2013) and Kingmaker (2022). Other notable films include Tidal Wave (2009), Cold Eyes (2013), The Merciless (2017), and The Book of Fish (2021).
Kim Si-a (as Gil Jae-yeong)
- Name (English): Kim Si-a
- Name (Korean): 김시아
- Revised Romanization: Gim Sia
- Birthdate: May 6, 2008
- Age: 17
- Birthplace: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Occupation: Actress
- Debut: 2018
- Agency: BH Entertainment
- Height: 164 cm
- MBTI: ISFP
- Social Media: Instagram
- Website: Official site
Kim Si-a is a young South Korean actress known for her strong performances in film and TV. She gained recognition in Miss Baek (2018) and Ashfall (2019), and has appeared in popular projects like Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021), The Silent Sea (2021), and Sweet Home (2023), making her one of Korea’s rising stars.
Esom (as Cha Min-hee)
- Stage Name (English): Esom
- Stage Name (Korean): 이솜
- Revised Romanization (Stage Name): I Som
- Birth Name (English): Lee So-young
- Birth Name (Korean): 이소영
- Revised Romanization (Birth Name): I Soyeong
- Birthdate: January 30, 1990
- Age: 35
- Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Occupations: Actress, model
- Debut: 2010
- Agency: Management MMM
- Height: 173 cm
- Weight: 58 kg
- Blood Type: A
- MBTI: INFJ
- Social Media: Instagram
- Website: Official site
Esom is a South Korean actress known for her work in films and TV. She rose to fame with her leading role in Scarlet Innocence (2014), which earned her several Best New Actress nominations. She has also starred in The Third Charm (2018), Samjin Company English Class (2020), and Taxi Driver (2021). In January 2023, she joined the agency Management MMM to continue her acting career.
Koo Kyo-hwan (as Han Hee-sung)
- Name (English): Koo Kyo-hwan
- Name (Korean): 구교환
- Revised Romanization: Gu Gyohwan
- Birthdate: December 14, 1982
- Age: 42
- Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Occupations: Actor, film director
- Debut: 2008
- Agency: Namoo Actors
- Height: 173 cm
- Blood Type: A
- MBTI: INFP
- Website: Official site
Koo Kyo-hwan is a South Korean actor and film director. He is known for his roles in Jane (2016), Peninsula (2020), and Escape from Mogadishu (2021). He also gained recognition for his performance in the Netflix series D.P. (2021~2023).
Ratings & Reviews
Overview
Kill Boksoon is a high-energy action film that has been praised for its thrilling fight scenes and dark humor. Some critics note that the chaotic and flashy visuals slightly weaken its impact, but action fans will still find it enjoyable.
Ratings
| Platform / Source | Score / Rating |
| Metacritic | 67 / 100 |
| Metascore | 7.5 / 10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 79% (Fresh), Audience Score: 82% |
| IMDb | 6.6 / 10 |
| Letterboxd | 3.4 / 5.0 |
| AlloCiné | Expert / 5.0, Audience: 3.5 / 5.0 |
| Cinepolis | 6.6 / 10 |
| Yahoo! Japan | 3.1 / 5.0 |
| Filmarks | 3.5 / 5.0 |
| Douban | 6.7 / 10 |
| Yahoo Kimo | 4.7 / 5.0 |
| WatchaPedia | 2.8 / 5.0 |
| Kinolights | 66.56%, 2.9 / 5.0 |
| Naver Movie | 6.95 / 10 |
| Daum | 3.6 / 10 |
| TMDB | 69% |
| Moviepilot | 6.3 / 10 |
| RogerEbert.com | 2.5 / 4 |
| MyDramaList | 7.9 / 10 |
| JustWatch | 75% |
Critic Notes
- Rotten Tomatoes: An ironic world that doesn’t fully land, but has a cool style.
- Lee Dong-jin (Korean critic): Appreciates the style, though it doesn’t fully work.
- Reviews from the New York Times and The Guardian highlight its mix of action, crime, and dark humor.
Audience Insights (Naver Movie)
- Teens: 9.5 / 10
- 20s: 8.5 / 10
- 30s: ~7 / 10
- 40s & 50s: ~5 / 10
- Men: 5.5 / 10
- Women: 8.5 / 10
Insight: The film is most popular with younger audiences and women, while older viewers and men gave it lower scores.
Awards & Achievements
In 2023, Kill Boksoon earned several award recognitions. Jeon Do-yeon and Lee Yeon were nominated for their performances, while the film’s poster won the Golden Trailer Award for Best Foreign Poster.
| Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress | Jeon Do-yeon | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Lee Yeon | Nominated |
| Golden Trailer Awards | Best Foreign Poster | “Date Announcement” (The Refinery) | Won |
| Buil Film Awards | Best Actress | Jeon Do-yeon | Nominated |
| Buil Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Lee Yeon | Nominated |
Netflix Viewership
Weekly Netflix Rankings (Global Non-English Category)
| Week | Date Range | Overall Rank | Non-English Rank | Viewing Hours | Views |
| 1 | Mar 27 ~ Apr 2, 2023 | 3 | 1 | 19,610,000 | 8,500,000 |
| 2 | Apr 3 ~ Apr 9, 2023 | 2 | 1 | 25,710,000 | 11,100,000 |
| 3 | Apr 10 ~ Apr 16, 2023 | 7 | 3 | 8,640,000 | 3,700,000 |
| 4 | Apr 17 ~ Apr 23, 2023 | 17 | 7 | 3,720,000 | 1,600,000 |
| 5 | Apr 24 ~ Apr 30, 2023 | 19 | 9 | 2,610,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 6 | May 1 ~ May 7, 2023 | 19 | 9 | 1,880,000 | 800,000 |
| 7 | May 8 ~ May 14, 2023 | 20 | 10 | 1,210,000 | 500,000 |
Cumulative Totals
- Total Viewing Hours: 66,080,000
- Total Views: 28,500,000
Top Daily Rankings by Country
| Country | Highest Rank | Date Achieved |
| USA | 5 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Canada | 3 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Mexico | 4 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| UK | 8 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Germany | 4 | Apr 3, 2023 |
| France | 5 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| Italy | 3 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Netherlands | 4 | Apr 4, 2023 |
| Norway | 3 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Sweden | 4 | Apr 3, 2023 |
| Switzerland | 3 | Apr 3, 2023 |
| Australia | 4 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| New Zealand | 4 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Japan | 1 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Taiwan | 1 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| Hong Kong | 1 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| South Korea | 1 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| Turkey | 2 | Apr 3, 2023 |
| India | 5 | Apr 1, 2023 |
| Brazil | 3 | Apr 2, 2023 |
| Spain | 4 | Apr 3, 2023 |
| Argentina | 5 | Apr 2, 2023 |
Global Reach
- Ranked #1 in 10 countries: South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
- Available in 86 countries, ranked in the Top 10 in 82 countries.
Key Achievements
- Second-highest cumulative viewing hours ever for a Korean film on Netflix, surpassing 60 million hours.
- Achieved the #1 viewing hours rank for weeks 3–7.
- First Netflix Original Korean film to chart for 7 consecutive weeks.
- Ranked Top 10 in non-English category for 9 weeks.
- Most-watched Korean film on Netflix in 2023.
Watch Kill Boksoon on Netflix
